Means for controlling the timing and sequence of operations



Dec. 16, 1941. T H BR 2,266,241

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TIMING AND SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS Filed July 11, 1938 ll Shets-Sheet l IN VENTOR MM 0M BY V A TTORNE Y Dec. 16, 1941.

'r. H. o' BRIEN 2,266,241

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TIMING AND SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS Filed July 11, 1938 l1 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR IHOIBP/Z)? Dec. 16, 1941. H, QBRIEN 2,266,241

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TIMING AND SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS Filed July 11, 1958 11 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR 7, f/OZJr/Cfl Dec. 16, 1941. V I QBRIEN 2,266,241

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TIMING AND SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS,

Filed July 11, 1938 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 I III/l/l/ INVENTOR v 7.. (/JjP/EIZ.

RATIONS Dec. 16, 1941. T. H. O'BRIEN MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TIMING AND SEQUENCE OF OPE Filed Jul 11', 1958 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 16, 1941.

T. H. O'BRIEN 2,266,241

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TIMING AND SEQUENCE OF OPERATION Filed July 11, 1938 ll Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

Y Z fi. 05mm.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TIMING AND SEQUENCE OEOPERATIONS Filed July 11, 1938 INVENTOR.

BY w i T. H. QBRIEN 2,266,241

ll Sheets-Sheet 7 Dec. 16, 1941. T H RIEN 2,266,241

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TIMING AND SEQUENCE OF OPERZTIONS Filed July 11, 1938 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 v INVENTOR.

'ATTORNEX D 16, 1 T. H. Q-BRIEN 2 266 241 MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TIMING AND SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS Filed July 11, 1938 l1 Sheets-Sheet 9 86 85 z/ioler/en.

, INVENTOR.

Dec. 16, 1941 "r. H. O'BRIEN 2,266,241

ANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TIMING AND SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS Filed July 11, 1938- ll Sheets-Sheet 10 Ihuerv for If]. 05712977. 53/ k Dec. 16, 1941.- 1'. H.-O'BR|EN MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TIMING AND SEQUENCE OF ,OPE

RATIONS Filed July 11, 1938 11 Sheets-Sheet '11 Q)? G n/dew:

Figlf Patented Dec. 16, 1941 s ,yiliZi t 'i STATES PATE T 9 E155 T T MEANS non. CONTROLLING THE TIMING AND SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS Terence Herriot 0,Brien, Kendal, England, as-

signo'r to Isaac Braithwaitc- & Son Engineers Lii'nifei'Ken dal, England ApplicationJuly '11, 1938', Serial No. 218,619 r In Great Britain Jnly 2 .0, 937.

7. Claims. ol. 74-12 The aforesaid specif cation described a method and mechanism for pro-selecting any one of three separate series of operations but such mechanism restricted the user to three modifications or variations of one formula, since it only employed a single tripping piece shaft, and did not allow the use of a number of entirely different formulae in the same apparatus and one of the objects of the present modified form of the apparatus is to allow-the user to Dre-select any one ofa number of different formulae which may beentirely different as regards dips, temperatureof water, number of processes and duration of processes. Y

The aforesaid object is achieved according to the invention by employing as many tripping piece shafts as there are different formulae required by the user of the machine, the tripping pieces on each shaft being capable of adjustment to give any desired formulaeach tripping shaft being-operated by a striker ,on a .singlefioatrod which is adapted to be moved .to operate ,the trippingplate on the tripping piece shaft corresponding to the formula to which the tripping pieces therein are adjusted andv all the tripping piece shafts being connected to a common shaft carrying the float obstruction disc.

The invention will be described with reference tothe accompanying drawings which show the construction forthree separate and distinct "selected'formulae and consequently requiring three tripping piece shafts but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to three selected formulae; but; that any other convenient number may be employed with theequivalent number of tripping piece shafts.

' {In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is.a.-s ide elevation. partlyin-section of the cam mechanismandftirningsmechanism. and

s. 1 1 1 areenlarged partside. elevations of Fig. 1.

- Fig. 2 isa 'side elevation partlyin section look ing in the reverse direction.

Fig.-.2*-v is a planofithe pawl .carrier and time obstruction drum. r

Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofthe time obstruction drum.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of-the steam drum. -:'Fig. '3 is arear elevation partlyin section of the chamber B below the camand timing mechanism showing the three tripping piece shafts B L P andIB therein. I

4 is asidefelevation partly in section of the chamber 3 showing the three tripping piece antan B? and B looking in the same direction as Fig. 2 and is a'continuatio'n thereof.

' Fig. 5'isalse'ction looking from below on line 5'-'5 Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section looking from below. on line 6-6 Fig. 4; 'J

i Fig. 7 is a. section looking from above on line 'I-( Fig. 4. I g

.Fig. 8 is aside elevation of a tripping piece where a less number of sequencesare required.

' Fig. 9 is a'plan of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of special tripping piece 10.

Fig. 11 is a detail front view of. a portion of chamber B showing the slot for the selector knob for the different formulae. 1

Fig. 12 is a plan of the time control mechanism. 1

Fig... 13 is a similar plan with parts of the mechanism removed.

. Fig.14is aside elevation of Fig. 12.

Fig. 1.5 is'a vertical section of a slipping clutch interposed between the trippingpiece shaft and itsdriving member. f

Fig.v 16 is a plan of electrical contacts for giving an audible and/or visual signal at a certain stage" in the operations for'the introduction of soap or other detergent. I

Fig. 17 is a side. elevation of a washing machine showing part of'the controlling mechanism in section. I I

Fig. 18 is a front elevation of one end of, a washing. machine having] the invention applied thereto.

,Thewashing machine, see Figs. 17 and 18, is of known type containing a horizontal drum I which is continuously rotated first in one direction and then in the opposite direction. within a casing 2. The shaft I of the drum I .is. connected by a crank 4 and connecting rod 3 to a vertical shaft .A; as shown in Figs. 1, 2.17 and l8,in such away that this shaft receives an 05- cillatingmovement as the "drum l rotates and connect the cam shaft A 'to the shaft A, see

Fig.2.

:..;Before"describing the details ofconstruction V of...ithedifierent-parts of the apparatus "the-foblowing short description of the timing sequence of operations of the machine will assist in the understanding of the purpose of the different parts.

The shaft A oscillates within the cam sleeve A which carries at its upper end a compound ratchet wheel a each part of which is engaged by one of the payvls a (see Figs. -1b and 2a).

two teeth angularly spaced at 180 the teeth of one part being at 90 to those of the other part. A drum I8, see Figs. 2 and 2 which will be referred to as the time obstruction carrying, projecting pegs I8 arranged in three or other number of circumferential rows, is initially set manually to initiate operation by causing the.

pawl ato engage the ratchet a after which the pawl is moved, to an inoperative position. A float D then comes into play to cause obstruction means referred to as the float obstruction B to come intermittently into play to move the pawl a into position to operate the cam sleeve A in-. termitt'ently. After a number of such intermittent movements of the cam sleeve A a time obstruction cam a comes into action and causes intermittent step by step movement of a trip-. ping shaft B, see Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, until another projection l8 in the same circumferential row comes into action to effect engagement of the pawl a androtation of the cam sleeve A The tripping shaft B is connected to three shafts B B and B which are geared together and operated by the striker d on the float rod D as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Similar cycles follow until all the required number of projecting pegs H3 in one circumferential row have effected operation of the cam sleeve A after which the entire operation ceases until the time obstruction I8 is reset. In order to provide a variation from the formula carried out by the sequence already referred to, the time obstruction I8 is formed as a drum with three, or other number of circumferential rows of projections l8? the projections in. one circumferential row enabling the machine to carry out that particular formula whilst the projections in the other circumferential rows are inoperative. If it is desired tov operate themachine on a different formula, the drum I8 is moved vertically manually to bring another of the circumferential row of projections I8 vinto position to actuate the pawl a. It is thus possible to operate the washing machine on any one of three, or other number, of different preselected formulae by arranging the required row of circumferential projections l8 to actuate the pawl a.

A detailed description of the apparatus will now follow: 7

- .The pawl a is formed in two partsmounted on a pawl carrier a one or other part of which is adapted to engage the ratchet wheel a which is formed in two parts mounted onebelow the other on the cam sleeve A The ratchet wheel a and with itthe cam sleeve A are rotated through 90? each time the pawl 11 is operated by the projecting pegs Ili The number and contour of the cams carried on the cam sleeve A depends on the various valves and mechanism which are to be controlled thereby and the particular construction shownin the drawings com prises a cam a controlling the opening and closing of cold and hot water supply valves H and H for admitting water to the casing of the machine, acam a for opening and closing a steam valve K for supplying steam to the machine,

when the temperature required at any stage is higher than that of the water, a cam a to open and close the drain valve of the machine, a cam. a for rendering operative or inoperative the mechanism for actuating the time obstruction disc I8 and a cam a controlling the operation of the tripping piece shaft B the function and V v operation of which will be more fully described. Each part of the compound ratchet wheel a has 5 The cam a controlling the drain valve M is a simple single peak cam which operates the arm 0 on a vertical shaft C once for every revolution of the cam sleeve A the shaft C being connected to the drain valve M so that the latter is opened by the movement of the shaft and held open a sufficient lengthof time to drain off the contents of the casing of the machine.

The shaft B is controlle'd'by' the cam a arranged on the cam sleeveA above the cam a the cam a being formed with three peaks which will operate an arm L carrying a pawl Z three times for each revolution of the cam sleeve A The pawl 1 drives a ratchet l on a sleeve C from which a pair of guide rods li 'project parallel with its axis of rotation.v The rods Z carry a ring 9 which will be described later and serve as" guides for the' vertical movement of the float obstruction disc B which is attached by the cable 0 to one arm of a balanced beam 0*, the other arm of which is attached by a cable 0 to the piston c of a dashpot device Cihaving its ports so arranged that its retarding action is practically nil at the last part of its stroke.

The beam C which carries the tripping piece shaft B and the dash pot piston C has a rider 0 at each side of its fulcrum, each rider resting on the beam, the weight of the rider being takenoff the beam by a fixed carrier 0 when the arm of the beam descends below the horizontal.

The effect of these riders is as follows: When the tripping piece shaft B is not influenced by the striker d of the float rod D the beam C is balanced and assumes a horizontal position. If through any cause the beam tends to leave this position it will pick up one or the other of the riders c and will therefore become unbalanced. The riders thus ensure that the beam ,is normally horizontal and the float obstruction disc B cannot accidentally actuate either of the projections a or a on the pawl carrier a When the machine is'empty of liquid and the weight of the floatacts on the tripping plate (1 the beam C 'becomes unbalanced and'the tripping piece' shaft B falls, the weight of the float D overcoming the weight of the rider 0 on the right hand'side of Fig. 1 which is now picked up by the back arm of the beam whilst the rider 0 on the left hand side rests on the carrier 0''.

Similarly, when liquid enters the machine and the striker (1' comes in contact with any one of the tripping pieces (I the buoyancy of the float D overcomes the weight of the rider 0 .which is picked up by the front arm of the beam.

Asingle cam a controls the cold water supply valve H and the hot water supply valve H The cam a is a simple single peak cam which controls two pivoted arms h and h each carrying a roller h in contact with the face of the cam and each having a projection h to engage a spring controlled stem h or k of the valves H or H and open the valve.

The steam control cam a is also a single peak cam which operates the spring controlled stem 70 of a steam valve K through the bell crank lever e which is pivotally mounted on an arm E piv- A to the oscillating shaft A on which it otal y' unted at 63 n afix d pi ot ea ned. by thebracketEl.

The arm E is normally in sl q a the oscillation of the lever e will not operate-the valve, and it is only when-the arm E is moved into position by a projection .e on the sleeve I that the valve K will be operated;

In the arrangement shown in the drawings where three independent formulae may be used, there are provided three pegs capable of occupying any position in three circumferential rows on the steam drum f the appropriate peg e being simultaneouslyselected manually when the desired formula is selected. 5

The drum I8 is slidably mounted on a hollow shaft l8 carrying an indicator drum M so that it can be moved vertically to bring any one of the three rows of pegs 18F opposite the striker arm a which controls the locking of the cam shaft is mounted. v

The sleeve carrying the pegs e which cause the lever E operating the steam valve K to be is provided with three pegs e arranged at different levels and is also arranged to be moved vertically 0n guides Z so that any of. the pegs e can be moved into line with the lever E operating the steam valve K. v

The float obstruction B is controlled by one or the other of three separate shafts B B and 13 as shown in Figs. 3 -to 7, each of which is provided with tripping pieces d. The shaft 3 is a continuation of the shaft B and the shafts B and 13 are parallel therewith. The three shafts are geared together near the top of the chamber B by the gear wheels 2!, 22 and 23 so that the shafts can be rotated together. Each shaft'carries a series of tripping piecesd, those on each shaft being differently'arranged than those -on the other shafts, whereby each shaft will correspond to a different formula. The float rod D which rises andfalls with the float D in the float chamber D carries two strikers d mounted on a plate 24 which may be swivelled about the-rod so that one .or the other. of. the strikers will engage the tripping pieces d on one or the ,other of the shafts B B or B position that connected to the shaft 29 midway between the two ends. The lever H thus doubles the ver-,

tical movement ofthe mask 'M1- relative to the shaft 29' so that the vertical movement of the latter causes the particularformula to be unmasked which corresponds tothe vertical posi-- tion'of the pegs H3 and the pegs e.

The selector shaft:29 alsorcarries a lever 29 which co-operates with a'time formula plate 30 on the hub of the formula drum M on which is mounted thewheeliil rotating the time obstruc-v tion drum Hi the function of which: plate will be described later. Thus when the selector shaft 29 is moved axialL-v the timing of. the processes,

the point of opening of.the:steam-. valve K and theposition of the timeformula plate 38 relative to the lever 29 are simultaneously selected.

Interconnectionbetween the selector shaft 29 and the float rod 11 is effected as follows: Aswivelling plate 24 with two; strikers d afiixed on the top of the rodD and is provided with a vertical tongue2'4 with a horizontal hole The plate 2 swivels on theplate 24 which slides on two vertical guide rods and forms the,

location for the upper end of the float rod D The plate 24 is located in the-correct position relative to each shaft .by depressions which engage a ball 25 and spring. 25 in the plate 24.

The time obstruction drum l8 having three rows of pegs, is slidably mounted on the shaft so that it can be moved vertically to bring any one of the three rows of pegs l3. opposite thestriker.

arm L1 which controls the locking of the cam shaft A to theoscillating shaft A on which it is mounted. I

The time obstruction drum l8 and the sleeve I? carrying the pegs e are moved vertically by the forks '21 and 28 afiixed to a vertical selector shaft 29 capable of being raised or lowered by a lever 6. The shaft 28 carries a pin-'29 which fits into the slotted end of the pivoted lever B. The lever B is moved by an oblique groove 3 in a quadrant plate 33 so that on rotation of the quadrant plate which engages a pin on the lever 6, the lever 6, the shaft 29, the time obstruction drum I8 and the sleeve f are moved. up or down to' bring one or the other of the rows of pegs Hi and peg-s e on the. latter into their respective operative positions necessary for the timing and 36 passing through it, see-Figs.- 1 and 2. A bush 3| is carried by the frame of the apparatus 00- axially with the float rod D at the lower end of which bush a verticalslot 32is formed into which the tongue. 24 on the swivelling striker plate 24 will fit. The'quadrant plate 33 is attached to the upper end of =the bush 31,. which plate is formed with the. inclined slot v34 7 which byv one gagement with the pin 29 in the lever 6 raises and lowers the selector shaft 29. I

Thus when the swivellingestriker plate E lis raised manually until the tongue 241 thereon en-. gages in the slot 32 in the bush 3| and the latter then turnedthrough-apredetermined angle the strikers on'theplate124 will be set .in a .predee termined position and .the selector shaft 29 will be raised or lowered a predetermined'amount. A single movement of. the selector bar '34 makes all the changes necessary to} select one ofthethree formulae.

It is necessary slot 32 in thebush 3L before the latter is rotated and this is done as follows:

The bush 3 Iv is turned by a bar .34, Fig. 1, which is a sliding fit in. a hole. 35. in the bush whichv can be made to coincide witha holeBG in the tongue 24 so thatif the tongue 24 is raised into the slot 32' in the bush the bar 3.4 will pass through both. If the tongue 24 is not in position the bar is prevented from entering the slot by a spring controlled plunger 4| which passes across the path plunger il it-passesfthrough' one of-thethree holes:36, 3'! and 38 and visprevented from lateral movemen bu when the t n ue 24- is rai nto- I the bush. 3 he ba 3 ay e us ed tlriroue to ensurethat the tongue 2 a on the striker plate 24..is.always engaged in the the tongue and the portion of reduced diameter 34* on the bar comes opposite the slot 49 on the plate 39 and the bar may then be moved laterally to rotate the bush 3| through the required angle. When this has been done the bar will be concentric with another of the holes in the plate 39 and will be locked therein by the pressure of a controlling spring 4|. At the same time the tongue 24 will be released and the plunger 4| will prevent further movement of the bar until the swivelling striker plate 24 is again raised manually to bring its tongue 24 into the slot 32 in the bush 3|.

Above the cam a is the time obstruction cut out cam a which renders operative or inoperative the mechanism for operating the time obstruction drum l8 which in turn as previously described controls the engagement of the pawls a carried by the shaft A with the teeth of the ratchets on the cam sleeve Al.

The cam a controls the'time obstruction operating arm comprising a vertical pillar b horizontal arm b and horizontal lever b When the time obstruction operating arm b moves inwards under the action of a spring it brings the end of a pivoted time obstruction arm comprising an arm 12 vertical pillar 69 and horizontal arm 69 into engagement with the face of a cam a carried by the oscillating shaft A so that the time obstruction arm is oscillated by the cam a, see Figs. 2 12, 13, 14. V

Resetting of the timing gear is carried out through a pawl operated wheel 5|, see Figs. 12, 13 and 14, which rotates the time obstruction drum 8, and also the wheel 52, driven by the time obstruction arm and formed with spur teeth the pawls 53 and 54 operating them being suitably shaped, the wheel 5| carrying a peg or pin 55 which on the completion of the timing operation of the last stage of one formula comes into position to engage the tail piece 53 of the pawl 54 engaging the teeth on the wheel 52 driven by the time obstruction arm thereby preventing rotation of. the wheel and. so preventing any further movement of the time obstruction drum 8. At the same time an audible and/or visual warning device such as a bell P is brought into operation by the bridge piece Z7 tailing contacts 17 and Z7 intermittently and such warning continues until the machine is stopped or the knob 5'! is pressed;

The manual rotation of. the toothed wheel 5| carrying the peg or pin 55 which causes the stopping of the rotation of the time obstruction drum for restarting the sequence .of .operations is brought about by a spring controlled plunger 56 which is operated by a sliding knob 51 through a pivoted two armed lever 58 to engage a second pin 55 on the toothed wheel 5|, each time the plunger 55 is operated the wheel 5| being rotated a distance of one tooth. The knob 51 is pulled out to rotate the wheel 5| a distance of one tooth and can only carry out the operation when the pin is in the correct position i. e. at the end of a process.

The effect of this depends on whether in the selected process it is required to retain the water of the previous last process for use in the first process of the new sequence or whether fresh water is to be introduced into the machine.

When the water of the last process is to be which by coming out of contact with the pin 29 allows the pawl 53 to drop into engagement with the toothed wheel 5| and at the same time the pawl 54 is held out of engagement with the wheel 52 by the pin 54 on the pawl 54 being engaged by the lever 29.

The pawl 53 is driven from the oscillating cam a. through the lever 69 and will continue to rotate the wheel 5| until the pin 6| on the lever 29, see Figs. 12, 13 and 14, reaches the end of the time formula plate 39 when the pawl 53 is drawn out of engagement with the wheel 5| and at thesame time the pawl 54 is engaged with wheel 52 and the timing of the process commences.

The angular position of the drum M when timing starts depends on the length of the time formula plate 39. Thus by lengthening or shortening this plate the duration of the wash is shortened or lengthened.

When it is required to empty the machine and refill with fresh water for the first process of the formula, the knob 51 is pulled rotating the toothed wheel 5| a distance equal to one tooth as before. In this case the time formula plate 39 does not engage the lever 29 on such movement, but a peg l8 on the time obstruction drum I8 is brought opposite the projection a on the arm a thereby engaging the pawl a The cam shaft A is thus turned and the time suspension cam a swings back the time suspension arm which carries the pawl 62. The pawl 62 turns the toothed wheel 5| to bring the time the lever 29 mounted on the upper end of the shaft 29 and moves with it when the required formula is being manually selected.

Fig. 16 shows the circuit of the audible and/or visual signal such as the bell P which comes into operation either to give a continuous signal as an indication for the introduction of soap or the like or an intermittent signal to indicate the. end of the process. In this arrangement there are two circuits from the battery P to the bell P, the battery being connected to a common terminal 89 of both circuits. When the projection g on the ring g engages the contact maker G it moves the latter to bridge the contacts 89 and -8|.thus completing the first circuit to the bell to give an indication for the introduction of soap. A shorter projection g on the ring g engages the contact maker G at the end of the process and moves the contact maker G a shorter distance, the contacts 89 and 82 being longer than the contacts 8|, to complete the second circuit at the end of the process. In this circuit however is the intermittent make and break D 12 and b operated by the lever 54 (see Figs. '12, 13, and 16) so that on the contacts 89 and 82 being bridged an intermittent signal will be given to denote the end of the process.

When the bell P or other signal warns the operator that the introduction of detergents are required it is necessary to suspend timing of the process until the i nalhas been stopped by the op r tor. .For this. purpose the contacts 8|, 80 and 82 are mounted on a swivelling bracket which is moved by the depressionof the knob 51 to bring the contacts away from, the path of the projections on the ring g ,.the bracket being returned by the spring 51 The depression of the knob 5'! also operates the rod 83 to move the pivoted verti l od 84 hav n at ts upper nd an i clined face85 which engages the pin 86 on lever 54 and moves the latter out of engagement with the wheel 52. The lever 8.4 is linked to the contac mak r G so that he the latter move ward to bridge the contacts 80 .and 8| to close the signal circuit, it pulls forward the lever 84 and ein lined plate 8.5 a es, with the p n 6 on the pawl 54. holding it away from the wheel52 thus s sp nd n -th ti ine- W n the knob 51 is released to allow the bracket carrying the contacts 8|, 80 and B2 to swing back under the infiuence of the sprin 5"! the inclined plate 85 is rown c e r o the in 6 owin th pawl 4 to come into engagement-with the wheel 52 and the timing of the process t-Q be restarted.

A slipping clutch 64 may be introduced into the drive of the tripping piece shaft 13 (see Fig. 15). The clutch comprises a. plate 65 on the shaft B driven through the balls 61 on the float obstruction plate B The balls are located in depressions in the plates and are not equally spaced so that if the clutch has slipped and has not returned to its correct setting this will be shown by a canting of the plate. A strong spring 64 maintains the requisite pressure for the drive.

A ball race 64 6.4 is provided between the suspension cable 0 and the clutch to prevent twisting of the cable.

The projection a on the arm a may be hinged so that it will yield under side pressure to prevent it being damaged should the drum be rotated when the projection is between two pegs.

The controller as described has a sequence of eight processes, but the invention is not limited to this number and the controllermay be ar ranged to give a sequence of more or less than eight processes.

Further, in a controller designed for a sequence 1 of a given number of processes, one or more of the formulae may be arranged with a smaller number of processes, this being done at the start of a sequence by running through one or more process cycles in a few seconds in the following manner:

The tripping plate d instead of having a slot shown in dots in Fig. 6 to allow striker d to fall through when the machine is drained is left solid, so that the float obstruction disc B is held down and the striker e strikes it repeatedly until the tripping plate d has rotated to bring a slot opposite the striker d4.

Thus the cam shaft A is turned quickly through a complete turn, all the operations for a process being gone through in a few seconds. Should the inflow of water to the machine be such that the float lifts during this period, the float obstruction disc 13 might be allowed to return to the neutralposition. v To prevent this a special tripping piece 70 similar to d but having a wider face is fitted near the top of the rod B carrying the particular formula and engages the underside of a projection H extending below the bush 3i. The length of the face is such that it engages when the rod is drawn down and is disengaged at the same time as d falls through the slot. A flange 12 fitted above the solid portion of the tripping plate 12 (see Figs. 8 and 9) preventsthe striker 0Z rising under the influence of the float andpossibly fouling .a tripping piece at a higher level.

Instead of the shaft, A being driven from the washing machine it mayif desired be driven from an independent source through a suitable reduction gear. r

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: l

V 1. Means for controlling the timing and sequence of operations in machines of the type're-v ferred to having a-variable liquid level comprising a continuously oscillating shaft, a common cam shaft surrounding the oscillating shaft, a series of cams and a ratchet wheel mounted for movement together on the cam shaft, a pawl carried by the oscillating shaft for intermittently rotating the ratchet wheel and cam shaft, a time obstruction drum, three circumferential series of projecting members on said drum arranged one above the other, the members in each series being arranged to operate successively and one member in each series being adapted to beset manually to initiate operations by causing the pawl to engage the ratchet, means for subsequently moving the pawl to an inoperative position, a float obstruction controlled by the level of liquid in the machine to intermittently come into play to move the pawlinto position to further operate the .cam shaft intermittentlybetween operations by the time obstruction drum operable by one of the cams to continue operation of the controlling means to bring the next successive projecting member of the time obstruction drum into operation after an operation of the cams bythe float obstruction, a vertical shaft carrying the float obstruction, a plurality of tripping piece shafts geared together and connected to the aforesaid vertical shaft, a series of angularly and vertically spaced tripping pieces on each tripping piece shaft, the'tripping pieces on each shaft being arranged to give a differentsequence of operation, a float rod rising and falling with the level of the liquid in the machine, a' striker carried on the float rod and adapted to be rotated thereon to be in a position' to engage the tripping pieces oriany one of the tripping piece shafts, the particular tripping piece engaged by the plate depending on the angular position of the shaft and thereby lift the shaft and the float obstruction to engage the pawl and move it into engagement with the ratchet on the cam shaft whereby the latter is rotated when the float has risen to a level determined by the position of the tripping piece. 2. Means for controlling the timing and sequence of operations in machines of the type referred to having the'means claimed in claim 1 in combination with a vertical selector shaft by which any one of the plurality of series of operations can be selected, forks attached to said selector shaft and engaging the time obstruction drum, and means for moving said shaft vertically into any one of the positions necessary for bringing the desired series of projecting members on the time obstruction drum into alignment with the pawl actuating the ratchet on the cam shaft. v

3. Means for controlling the timing and sequence of operations in machines of the type referred to having the means claimed in claim 1 in combination with a vertical'selecto-r shaftby which any One of'the plurality of series of'bperation's can be selected, forks attached to said selector shaft and engaging the time obstruction drum, means for moving said shaft vertically into any one of the positions necessary for bringing the desired series of projecting members on the time obstruction drum into alignment with the pawl actuating the ratchet on the cam shaft, a formula drum on which the difierent series of operations are indicated one above the other and a mask covering said drum raised and lowered by the vertical selector shaft whereby the indications of all the series of operations except the series corresponding with the position of the selector shaft are marked.

4. Means for controlling the timing and sequence of operations in machines of the type referred to having the means claimed in claim 1 in combination with a vertical selector shaft by which any one of the plurality of series of operations can be selected, forks attached to said selector shaft and engaging the time obstruction drum, means for moving said sh aft vertically into any one of the positions necessary for bringing the desired series of projecting members on the time obstruction drum into alignment with the pawl actuating the ratchet on the cam shaft, a formula drum on which the different series of operations are indicated one above the other, a mask covering said drum raised and lowered by the vertical selector shaft whereby the indications of all the series of operations except the series corresponding with the position of the selector shaft are marked, means for raising and lowering the vertical selector shaft and preselecting a particular series of operations and means adapted to be connected thereto for rotating the striker plate so that the latter will be simultaneously rotated to engage the tripping pieces on the tripping piece shaft corresponding to the series of operations on the indicator drum uncovered by the mask. 1

5. Means for controlling the timing and sequence of operations in machines of the type referred to having the means claimed in claim 1 in combination with a vertical selector shaft by which any one of the plurality of series of operations can be selected, forks attached to said selector shaft and engaging the time obstruction drum, means for moving said shaft vertically into any one of the positions necessary for bringing the desired series of projecting members on the time obstruction drum into alignment with the pawl actuating the ratchet on the cam shaft, a formula drum on which the different series of operations are indicated one above the other, a mask covering said drum raised and lowered by the vertical selector shaft whereby the indications of all the series of operations except the series corresponding with the position of the selector shaft are marked, means for raising and lowering the vertical selector shaft and preselecting a particular series of operations means adapted to be connected thereto for rotating the striker plate so that the latter will be simultaneously rotated to'engage the tripping pieces on the tripping piece shaft corresponding to the series of operations on the indicator drum uncovered by the mask, and means for preventing the operation of the vertical selector shaft unless the corresponding tripping piece shaft is in its correct angular position.

6. Means for controlling the timing and sequence of operations in machines of the type referred to having the means claimed in claim 1 in'comb-ination with a vertical selector shaft by which any one of the plurality of series of operations can be selected, forks attached to said selector shaftand engaging the time obstruction drum, means for moving said shaft vertically into any one of the positions necessary for bringing the desired series of projecting members on the time obstruction drum into alignment with the pawl actuating the ratchet on the cam shaft, a formula drum on which the different series of operations are indicated one above the other, a mask covering said drum raised and lowered by the vertical selector shaft whereby the indications of all the series of operations except the series corresponding with the position of the selector shaft are marked, means for raising and lowering the vertical selector shaft and preselecting a particular series of operations and means adapted to be connected thereto for rotating the striker plate so that the latter will be simultaneously rotated to engage the tripping pieces on the tripping piece shaft corresponding to the series of operations on the indicator drum uncovered by the mask, means for preventing the operation of the vertical selector shaft unless the corresponding tripping piece shaft is in its correct angular position, a sleeve operating a steam valve controlling cam having a plurality of series of projections thereon, one series for each series of operations, and means connected to the vertical selector shaft whereby the said sleeve is raised and lowered with the shaft, the time obstructor drum and the mask.

'7. Means for controlling the timing and sequence of operations in machines of the type referred to havingthe means claimed in claim 1 in combination with a vertical selector shaft by which any one of the plurality of series of operations can be selected, forks attached to said selector shaft and engaging the time obstruction drum, means for moving said shaft vertically into any one of the positions necessary for bringing the desired series of projecting members on the time obstruction drum into alignment with the pawl actuating the ratchet on the cam shaft, a formula drum on which the different series of operations are indicated one above the other, a mask covering said drum raised and lowered by the vertical selector shaft whereby the indications of all the series of operations except the series corresponding with the position of the selector shaft are marked, means for raising and lowering the vertical selector shaft and preselecting a particular series of operations means adapted to be connected thereto for rotating the striker plate so that the latter will be simultaneously rotated to engage the tripping pieces on the tripping piece shaft corresponding to the series of operations on the indicator drum uncovered by the mask, means for preventing the operation of the vertical selector shaft unless the corresponding tripping piece shaft is in its correct angular position, a sleeve operating a steam valve controlling cam having a plurality of series of projections thereon, one series for each series of operations, means connected 'to the vertical selector shaft whereby the said sleeve is raised and lowered with the shaft,'the time obstructor drum and the mask, and means for resetting the timing mechanism at any point ina series of operations to the commencement or any other point thereof.

TERENCE H. OBRIEN. 

